PCB says no Indo-Pak series possible now

Karachi: Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Shaharyar Khan has finally given up hope of organising the proposed Indo-Pak series in the near future but has set sights for next year for the resumption of bilateral cricketing ties between the two countries.

Khan told the media in Lahore today that he had finally given up hope of organising the bilateral series against India in either UAE or Sri Lanka in December-January.

"It is impossible to hold the series now as valuable time has gone. But we will now wait and see when the Indian Board tells us they have got clearance from their government to play with us," Khan said.

"If the clearance comes from the Indians, then we can look at finding a window to play a bilateral series sometime in 2016," the PCB chief said.

Khan said the PCB believed that it was important for Pakistan and India to resume bilateral ties.

"If not this year, we can do something in 2016 but it will all depend on the Indian board telling us when they are ready to play," he said.

He said whenever the Indian Board got the clearance from its government and a series was planned, it would be Pakistan's home series as per the MoU signed between the two countries.

The PCB chief has faced a lot of flak for his insistence that the series with India would be held in December-January.